Download 2023

[willgooneday]

16 minutes ago, jump said:

Bring Me are headlining, there’s two main stages at R&L.

System who are one of the biggest headliners Download can actually get subbed Reading. Download is really a mid-sized festival nowadays, it was downsized when people were watching Saxon. Even if an act subs R&L there’s a good chance they are a decent headliner for Download size wise.

 

Calling the other stage a main stage doesn't make it a main stage. Especially as it would be impossible to watch both sets. 

[jump]

Just now, willgooneday said:

 

Calling the other stage a main stage doesn't make it a main stage. Especially as it would be impossible to watch both sets. 

You can watch both sets and they are literally both called main stage as they are main stages.

[Andre91]

Download hasn’t been at capacity since 2010. One of the admins on the official DL forums who is involved with the festival said that it averages between 70-90k most years (I’m sure that was the number stated). It hasn’t reached 100k and over in a long, long time and never has consistently. 

[jump]

12 minutes ago, willgooneday said:

It's really not a mid-sized festival - it has a capacity of 110,000 - a capacity it came pretty close to reaching for Guns N Roses and Ozzy's days as recently as 2018. 2019 was naturally a smaller festival in large part due to the atrocious weather and thousands of people going home/not buying day tickets.

Someone with more knowledge might know but I'm assuming it'll have done the same for Maiden this year.

 

Also for those swinging in the air about dates. It's gonna depend massively on whether the late October/early November think is because that's when they normally finish booking or for commercial purposes. Obviously we know they've booked headliners but the 5 festivals have all been announced October-November. 

 

2015 Headliners - 19th November 2014

2016 Headliners - 21st October 2015

2017 Headliners - 3rd November 2016

2018 Headliners 6th November 2017 - 13th November 2017 ( 

2019 Headliners - 23rd October 2018 -  

Download has not been close to filling its max capacity for at least a decade. Victorious for example does almost the same number of punters as Download but is secure enough to know it’s a mid-sized fest as there’s nothing wrong with that.

It’s this toxic insular thinking that is killing the fest. “Only stadium bands like Green Day or Metallica should be allowed to headline” but as Download can’t afford them you end up with Def Leppard headlining 3 times 10 years! There’s nothing wrong with Download booking non-stadium bands as headliners and it’s alot healthier if the regulars realise that as it opens the doors to more interesting line ups.

Edited July 2, 2022 by jump

[willgooneday]

32 minutes ago, jump said:

Download has not been close to filling its max capacity for at least a decade. Victorious for example does almost the same number of punters as Download but is secure enough to know it’s a mid-sized fest as there’s nothing wrong with that.

It’s this toxic insular thinking that is killing the fest. “Only stadium bands like Green Day or Metallica should be allowed to headline” but as Download can’t afford them you end up with Def Leppard headlining 3 times 10 years! There’s nothing wrong with Download booking non-stadium bands as headliners and it’s alot healthier if the regulars realise that as it opens the doors to more interesting line ups.

But if Download actually booked stadium bands, they'd shift more tickets and be the bigger festival they are more than capable of. The right line up could see the festival at capacity on all four days - and at that point it has to be making enough money to book the right line up the year after. Your never gonna grow the festival booking Def Leppard. 

[jump]

4 minutes ago, willgooneday said:

But if Download actually booked stadium bands, they'd shift more tickets and be the bigger festival they are more than capable of. The right line up could see the festival at capacity on all four days - and at that point it has to be making enough money to book the right line up the year after. Your never gonna grow the festival booking Def Leppard. 

Download has now literally accustomed its regulars to so much such shit for so long that someone like Status Quo is deemed more headliner worthy than Bring Me that any decent stadium band doesn’t want to play a fest like that. 

Booking Foo Fighters or whoever wont fix the festival. It’s become out of touch of the actual rock/metal scene the same way Monsters Of Rock did, it’s even sadder that that they started booking Monster Of Rock bands to try and fix the problem too.

Book upcoming hot bands, make new must see headliners and fuck Saxon! 😜 

[willgooneday]

1 hour ago, jump said:

Download has now literally accustomed its regulars to so much such shit for so long that someone like Status Quo is deemed more headliner worthy than Bring Me that any decent stadium band doesn’t want to play a fest like that. 

Booking Foo Fighters or whoever wont fix the festival. It’s become out of touch of the actual rock/metal scene the same way Monsters Of Rock did, it’s even sadder that that they started booking Monster Of Rock bands to try and fix the problem too.

Book upcoming hot bands, make new must see headliners and fuck Saxon! 😜 

I mean the issue is part of Downloads appeal lies in it being appealing to the hard rock gatekeepers. There's probably a ten thousand people or so who go to Download because it's 'real rock and roll' and probably weren't creaming their pants over Biffy being a headliner this year  (especially after initial promises of SOAD).

 

If you book Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age and Pearl Jam in one year you'd soon lose almost the entirely regular contingent of the festival. The Thursday would really work as a way of addressing that and it seems an utter shame to turn round and use it double down on Metallica.

 

If you've got BMTH / Metallica / Guns N Roses for the weekend then having Foo Fighters / QOTSA . Pearl Jam / Green Day etc on the Thursday would add something completely different to the whole shebang. Another option could be booking The Who / The Rolling Stones / The Eagles

 

[jump]

17 hours ago, willgooneday said:

I mean the issue is part of Downloads appeal lies in it being appealing to the hard rock gatekeepers. There's probably a ten thousand people or so who go to Download because it's 'real rock and roll' and probably weren't creaming their pants over Biffy being a headliner this year  (especially after initial promises of SOAD).

 

If you book Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age and Pearl Jam in one year you'd soon lose almost the entirely regular contingent of the festival. The Thursday would really work as a way of addressing that and it seems an utter shame to turn round and use it double down on Metallica.

 

If you've got BMTH / Metallica / Guns N Roses for the weekend then having Foo Fighters / QOTSA . Pearl Jam / Green Day etc on the Thursday would add something completely different to the whole shebang. Another option could be booking The Who / The Rolling Stones / The Eagles

 

Booking Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters is too problematic for Download so they should book The Eagles to keep the regulars happy? You're fucking mental.

 

[willgooneday]

4 minutes ago, jump said:

Booking Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters is too problematic for Download so they should book The Eagles to keep the regulars happy? You're fucking mental.

 

I've heard Hotel California played at Download to be frank, there an old enough band that despite being more mainstream rock they're still highly regarded as a classic rock band. Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam are too modern and too closely tied to the grunge movement. 

[jump]

3 minutes ago, willgooneday said:

I've heard Hotel California played at Download to be frank, there an old enough band that despite being more mainstream rock they're still highly regarded as a classic rock band. Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam are too modern and too closely tied to the grunge movement. 

90s bands are too modern for Download? The festival is fucked then! lol

[NorthernSoul52]

Man, The Boys of Summer is a bop.

But somehow think a musical singalong of the Tory Party Conference would go over better than the Eagles at Download.

[metallimuse]

31 minutes ago, willgooneday said:

I've heard Hotel California played at Download to be frank, there an old enough band that despite being more mainstream rock they're still highly regarded as a classic rock band. Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam are too modern and too closely tied to the grunge movement. 

I’ve not been to the festival since the year Muse played because the line ups are just too boring with the same bands booked time and again. 
If Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters, bands who’s band members are in their 50’s, are considered “too modern” I doubt I’ll ever be back ffs.

The talk of BMTH and Architects playing would definitely make me sit up and take notice of the festival again coupled with a returning Metallica.

[thewayiam]

I've had good info today that Parkway Drive are high up mainstage, potentially headlining.

I've met someone who's friends with the guitarist.

[Spiral_Low]

59 minutes ago, thewayiam said:

I've had good info today that Parkway Drive are high up mainstage, potentially headlining.

I've met someone who's friends with the guitarist.

Sub to BMTH? Would make alot of sense. Especially as everyone kept guessing Architects subbing them but that guy 'with the info' on the official forums said most people had 3 nights right apart from the subs. 

(I'm not on there atm but a friend sent a screenshot)

Edit: also they aren't as big as bands like Korn or Deftones or even Machine Head so if they did headline that would be rather controversial.

Edited July 3, 2022 by Spiral_Low

[thewayiam]

23 minutes ago, Spiral_Low said:

Sub to BMTH? Would make alot of sense. Especially as everyone kept guessing Architects subbing them but that guy 'with the info' on the official forums said most people had 3 nights right apart from the subs. 

(I'm not on there atm but a friend sent a screenshot)

Edit: also they aren't as big as bands like Korn or Deftones or even Machine Head so if they did headline that would be rather controversial.

He said he thinks Sunday but take that as a pinch. 

Just passing info

[Saint17]

Saw GnR last night. Back to old tricks of being 1.5 hours late.  Axl's voice gone completely and had to get Carrie Underwood to sing for him.  But worth it just for the first 5 songs.  

 

I heard Joe Elliott confirm that the current Def Leppard tour with Motley, Poison and Joan Jet is coming to Europe next year and playing some festivals.  Could that be the Sunday?

[willgooneday]

35 minutes ago, thewayiam said:

He said he thinks Sunday but take that as a pinch. 

Just passing info

 

Using Metallica to try and get two near headliners in looking forward to the rest of the 2020s?

 

Metallica / BMTH / Metallica / Parkway Drive 

 

Although you could argue Parkway Drive as the weak headliner strong sub that's subbing? Would be a way of being able to afford Metallica? 

[Spiral_Low]

38 minutes ago, thewayiam said:

He said he thinks Sunday but take that as a pinch. 

Just passing info

Sub to Slipknot? 

[jump]

51 minutes ago, Spiral_Low said:

Sub to BMTH? Would make alot of sense. Especially as everyone kept guessing Architects subbing them but that guy 'with the info' on the official forums said most people had 3 nights right apart from the subs. 

(I'm not on there atm but a friend sent a screenshot)

Edit: also they aren't as big as bands like Korn or Deftones or even Machine Head so if they did headline that would be rather controversial.

I don’t think there is any new headliner Download can realistically get that wouldn’t be controversial. People are complaining about Bring Me not being big enough when they sell out arena tours and are the biggest UK metal band.

You can’t keep them happy anyway so you may as well. At least you can mosh to Parkway Drive unlike The Eagles.
 

Just now, Saint17 said:

Saw GnR last night. Back to old tricks of being 1.5 hours late.  Axl's voice gone completely and had to get Carrie Underwood to sing for him.  But worth it just for the first 5 songs.  

 

I heard Joe Elliott confirm that the current Def Leppard tour with Motley, Poison and Joan Jet is coming to Europe next year and playing some festivals.  Could that be the Sunday?

Yeah I was there too, why do promoters keep trusting them when they can’t even turn up on time? I needed a piss after waiting for so long so when I go I get through the crowd and start walking up the steps only to hear them starting to play Welcome To The Jungle, fuck sake! I only went as a mate had a spare ticket, it was fun but I’m in no rush to see them again. 

Def Leppard again would be be depressingly realistic for Download.

[Andre91]

1 hour ago, thewayiam said:

He said he thinks Sunday but take that as a pinch. 

Just passing info

I was also told the same info, that Parkway were booked to play the Sunday and they weren’t sure if they were headlining or subbing. That comes from the first source before I got told GNR by someone else (who also had Metallica x2 and BMTH). 

[Spiral_Low]

47 minutes ago, jump said:

I don’t think there is any new headliner Download can realistically get that wouldn’t be controversial. People are complaining about Bring Me not being big enough when they sell out arena tours and are the biggest UK metal band.

You can’t keep them happy anyway so you may as well. At least you can mosh to Parkway Drive unlike The Eagles.
 

What I'm more getting at though is the 'if they can why can't Korn' factor from this year. A lot of people weren't angry it was Biffy as such, it was more why can't Korn' do it? BMTH would split opinion sure but like you said they are actually pretty huge already....Parkway Drive being bumped ahead of Korn or Machine Head would feel like a bit of a kick in the face to some people. 

[SJH]

 Could someone in the know advise when Campervan tickets typically go on sale? Looking at doing it for the first time next year and can’t see any available on the usual channels.

[willgooneday]

1 hour ago, Andre91 said:

I was also told the same info, that Parkway were booked to play the Sunday and they weren’t sure if they were headlining or subbing. That comes from the first source before I got told GNR by someone else (who also had Metallica x2 and BMTH). 

So if GNR are booked for the headline on Sunday Parkway would surely be subbing, presumably Parkway got booked on the old 'you're a headliner until we can find a better headliner and then you sub' Copping trick. 

If so then we can pretty much confirm

Metallica / Bring Me the Horizon / Metallica / Guns N Roses 

TBC / Architects / TBC / Parkway Drive

 

If that's true he might as well shoot the load now and announce it because that will shift an insane amount of tickets. Really starting to wonder if we're gonna get double main stages now. 

 

[NorthernSoul52]

Parkway Drive are fully deserving of a high spot for me - certainly feel there's an argument to bump 'em to headliner, just like there could be for Ghost. 

Bring Me the Horizon, by dint of getting the gig at Reading and Leeds, are already there. Oddly kind of glad they've waited for them to crack that market before going for them atop the bill at Donnington, but they're a worthy pic.

Guns 'N' Roses seems an interesting beast these days. By all accounts, the marathon shows on the Not in This Lifetime... Tour were beloved barnstormers with a degree of impressive punctuality. (I attended the first show at London Stadium, and found it to be a good night out, if not quite the five-star affair The Guardian dubbed it.)

But the reports back from their current leg suggests something isn't quite right with Axl's voice. Is it the show length? The rigours of touring? Something else?

Hopefully it is a temporary blip, and they get back on top of themselves - but I can't help thinking they'd be smart to simply slimline their show into a brisk two-hour affair. There's absolutely no shame in not attempting to run a marathon at a sprint at their age.

 

[rivalschools.price]

On 7/2/2022 at 1:43 PM, jump said:

Download has now literally accustomed its regulars to so much such shit for so long that someone like Status Quo is deemed more headliner worthy than Bring Me that any decent stadium band doesn’t want to play a fest like that. 

Booking Foo Fighters or whoever wont fix the festival. It’s become out of touch of the actual rock/metal scene the same way Monsters Of Rock did, it’s even sadder that that they started booking Monster Of Rock bands to try and fix the problem too.

Book upcoming hot bands, make new must see headliners and fuck Saxon! 😜 

Literally no one is calling for Status Quo or Saxon. The only time they get mentioned is when people say that the ‘double denim dinosaurs’ are calling for them, when they’re not. Even if they did, it would be a tiny tiny minority.

Saxon played in one of the tents last time they played and Quo played second stage when Linkin Park were on about 8 or 9 years ago.Even then, Linkin Park got the huge majority of the crowd, not bad for a festival full of old classic rock fans stuck in the past.

If you want to use examples of bands the old guard are looking for, you’d have more credibility if you used Maiden, Metallica or Megadeth as examples.